The Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation announced its 2013 Preservation Success Stories on June 26 at its annual conference held in Natchitoches which was co-hosted by the LA State Division of Historic Preservation and the National Center for Preservation Training and Technology. This year marks the Tri-Centennial of Natchitoches, the oldest town in Louisiana. The keynote speaker at this three day event for historic preservationists was Louisiana Lieutenant Governor Jay Dardenne. The guest speaker Stephanie Meeks, National Trust for Historic Preservation President and CEO spoke at the conference luncheon. The former U.S. Senator J. Bennett Johnston and Mrs. Mary Johnston were honored by the Louisiana Trust as the 2014 Preservationists Extraordinaire at the Red River Soiree for their considerable contributions in advocating and supporting historic preservation throughout Louisiana.

The Preservation Success Stories for 2013 ranged from a 1920 humble former residence of a sawmill worker in the town of DeRidder to an massive art-deco style auditorium built in 1929 in Shreveport that hosted First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt in March 1937. The Preservation Success Stories for 2013 listed alphabetically by parish included:

Community

Structure

Built

Original

Re-purpose

DeRidder
(Beauregard)

First Street School
downtown

1939

public elementary school

work-force development

DeRidder
(Beauregard)

company-provided housing

1920

residence for
sawmill worker

timber museum

Hosston
(Caddo)

Hosston School

1931

public school
(all grades)

recreation & public event center

Shreveport (Caddo)

Muni. Auditorium
downtown

1929

entertainment venue, veteran’s memorial

multi-purpose entertainment center

Shreveport (Caddo)

1200 Marshall Street
downtown

1908

printing business

complex of executive offices

Shreveport (Caddo)

Oakland Cemetery
downtown

1842

oldest extant cemetery in City

recreate walking garden cemetery

Shreveport (Caddo)

712 Texas Street
downtown

1937

paint retailer

architectural firm

Lake Charles
(Calcasieu)

104 West Pujo Street
downtown

1929

hotel auto parking garage

restaurant, bar, entertainment venue

Natchitoches
(Natchitoches)

Caspari Hall
(Northwestern State)

1939

college dormitory
for male athletes

executive offices
for college
officials

New Orleans
(Orleans)

Saenger Theatre
downtown

1927

3,400 seat movie palace / stage

multi-purpose entertainment center

Michael Echols from Monroe and President of Louisiana Trust summed up the organization’s effort from 1999 to 2013 at identifying over 100 structures in Louisiana as Most Endangered. And since 2011, he identified over 50 Preservation Success Stories the Louisiana Trust has identified state-wide. The 2013 nomination application also gathered data on use of federal and state history tax credits as well as further identified if the nominated historic structure was listed on any historic register.

Nominations for the Louisiana Trust’s Most Endangered and Preservation Success Stories are submitted from a variety of sources state-wide. The nominations are submitted by citizens of Louisiana and from the LA Trust’s board directors; community managers of the Louisiana Main Street Program; elected and appointed local officials; historic property owners; preservation architects; developers; and local historic organizations.

The nomination applications to identify the Most Endangered and Preservation Success Stories for calendar year 2014 is planned to be distributed in late autumn. These structures are to be announced at the 2015 LA Annual Preservation Conference hosted by the LA Trust for Historic Preservation and the LA Division of Historic Preservation to be held in Lake Charles. The 2014 nomination application for Most Endangered is being expanded to clarify potential to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

(A summary report for 2009-2012 appears in the Fall 2012 newsletter.)

Criteria: Those structures that have the potential of being a successful preservation candidate. These structures are significantly threatened by demolition, neglect, lack of maintenance, inappropriate development or other threats. These structures have demonstrated community commitment, and a reasonable potential for a positive outcome. Additionally, there is clear ownership of the property and the owners are willing to work with the Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation (LTHP) in creating a viable plan for preservation. These structures are either listed or have the potential of being listed on an appropriate national or state historic register. Ideally these structures are historic in being more than 50 years of age and are historically significant. Structures listed on the Most Endangered list, receive assistance from the LTHP Field Services Representative including on-site visits and working with the property owner / community leaders in creating a viable preservation strategy for the structure.

Flora Schoolhouse

Holy Rosary Institute

At Risk Structures within Louisiana for the period 2011-2012

Criteria: Those historically significant structures that have the potential of being torn down within the immediate future. There is no current preservation plan for these structures and they have serious threats to their existence or threats to their historical / architectural integrity. These structures could be characterized by convoluted ownership issues that might prevent preservation or even sale of the property; issues of advanced deterioration to cause them to be safety hazards for their communities; lack of maintenance / neglect; inappropriate development and / or insensitive public policy. These structures if preserved would have the potential of being listed on an appropriate national or state historic register and be a success through adaptive reuse efforts. (Listed alphabetically by community.)

Community

Structure

Built

Remarks

Alexandria

Armour Building

Facing possible demo

Alexandria

Hynson-Ringgold House

1907

Queen Anne architectural style

Alexandria

Skye Building

For sale, deteriorating

Olla

Olla State Bank

1906

Damaged roof from tornado

Olla

Fair Exhibit Barn

ca 1910

Needs minor repairs

Ponchatoula

First Guaranty Bank

1960

Facing demo for new construction

Shreveport

Adress Motor Company

1931

Early car dealership downtown

Shreveport

Arlington Hotel

ca 1920

Former railroad hotel/lodging

Shreveport

B’Nai Zion Temple

1914

National Register

Shreveport

Bridges-McKellar House

ca 1890

Queen Anne style architecture

Shreveport

Henderson Iron Works

ca 1920

1920s manufacturing structure

Shreveport

Mutual Building

ca 1930

Banking institution

Shreveport

Ardis-Johnson Building

ca 1925

Mid-rise office building

Shreveport

Ogilvie Grocery

ca 1890

Partially collapsed

Shreveport

Old Galilee Baptist Church

1917

National Register, Dr. King visited

Shreveport

Rubenstein’s buildings

1907-15

Buildings joined by owner in 1926

Shreveport

Shot-gun style house

ca 1900

Last type on Caddo Street

Shreveport

Standard Brands Building

ca 1920

Saenger Brothers corporate HQ

Preservation / Adaptive Reuse Success Stories within Louisiana for the period 2011-2012

Criteria: These historic structures include those currently under an active preservation effort to return them to economic activity / adaptive reuse or preservation projects which have been recently completed during the period under consideration. (Listed alphabetically by community.)

Community

Structure

Built

Remarks

Alexandria

Masonic Home for Children

1924

Being Renovated – apartments

Alexandria

Shiloh Baptist Churt

Being renovated – restaurant

Franklin

Post Office Building

Restoration completed in 2011

Monroe

Georgia Tucker School

1920

Being renovated – assisted living

New Roads

Poydras High School

1924

Restoration completed in 2011

Pineville

Central LA State Hospital Dairy Barn

1923

Preservation plan being created

Shreveport

Old Montgomery Wards Building

ca 1930

Artspace expansion

Shreveport

Allen Building

ca 1920

Being renovated by SULA-S for classrooms

Shreveport

Bell South office building

ca 1950

Being renovated by owner – condos

Shreveport

Calanthean Temple

1923

National Register; being restored by owner – multi-use

Shreveport

Central Fire Station

1922

Being renovated by city – new home of Shreveport Regional Arts Council

Shreveport

Commerce St. Building

ca 1880

Being renovated – office use

Shreveport

Feibleman / Sears

1925

Being renovated – multi-use

Shreveport

The Florentine

ca 1900

AKA Ogilvie-Wiener House – being restored

Shreveport

George T. Bishop Building

ca 1920

Being renovated – multi-use

Shreveport

Houck Building

ca 1923

Being renovated – multi-use

Shreveport

Lake Street Buildings

ca 1930

Restoration completed in 2011 – entertainment venue

Shreveport

Lewis Furniture Building

ca 1920

Being renovated – office use

Shreveport

McAdoo Hotel

ca 1920

Being renovated – multi-use

Shreveport

Paris Cleaners Building

1931

Restoration completed in 2011 – photography studio

Shreveport

Ogilvie Hardware

1926

Being renovated – apartments

Shreveport

Zodiag Building

ca 1923

Being renovated – multi-use

Structures Lost Forever within Louisiana for the period 2011-2012

Criteria: These are historic structures torn down during the period under consideration.

2009-10 Most Endangered List

The Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation (LTHP) needs your direct help in identifying historic structures within Louisiana that needs preserving. Nominations are being accepted for candidate sites which are threatened by demolition, neglect, lack of maintenance, inappropriate development or other threats and meet the Louisiana Trust’s criteria.